Twilight
by Mainstream Soveriegn
Summary: Songfic. Jack's courage has effects on others, and some may be deadly...............


Don't own: Samurai Jack, Vanessa Carlton's "Twilight", the names Nataku and Wufei (they're taken from a very popular anime show, 5 bucks if you can guess it. I am joking.). Do own: The character Nataku, anything else in this story you don't recognize.  
  
  
  
The children gathered by the edge of the meadow to wave good-bye to their new hero. Already a small dot in the horizon, the samurai saw them and waved back, but not in recognition, but as a signal to move away from him. His work at their village was done. Aku's minions had enslaved everyone, including these children, for thousands of years, and now, they were finally free. But Jack suspected that Aku was not yet ready to release this area yet. In his first mission in the future, he had released a group of canine archeologists after battle hundreds of metallic beetles. These same robots were the ones he had found torturing these people, and even though he defeated them easily, he had been told that Aku was capable of mass production that could extend their numbers into the thousands. He had done it once, could he do it again. .. .. . . . . . . .  
  
The children continued to watch him go a little longer, then headed back to their homes. Past the meadow, past the thick oak forest, past the smoking shells of their former tormenters, and past a small lake half filled with oil, they ran until they caught site of their village. Parents welcomed them with open arms, hurrying them into the thickest wooden huts. Word had spread that Jack would attempt to block the first wave of attack, but they should be prepared to take cover if some got around him. The swarm of people continued their preparations to leave quickly, efficiently, and silently. There was nothing to talk about; everyone was too busy packing. Everyone, that is, except Nataku.  
  
::I was stained, with a role,::  
  
::in a day not my own,::  
  
::but as you walked into my life::  
  
::you showed what needed to be shown::  
  
Nataku continued to stand where the children's parents stood moments ago, continued to look towards the setting sun. Past the lake, smoke, forest, and farther down the meadow, the sound of battle was already audible. Jack was fighting. She clutched her right hand with her left. Why was he out there? It wasn't his responsibility to protect such a small, pathetic village. He could die out there, and for what? How could such a small group, about to be destroyed, spread word of his noble deed? Why was he doing this? Why? Why?  
  
"Nataku."  
  
She gasped and spun around, releasing the breath she had unknowingly been holding. Wufei stood directly behind her, his brown eyes locked onto her own. The husband. Yes, even though the two of them were still teens, their culture dictated that the two of them married as soon as possible. For their love, and for their survival.  
  
::I always knew, what was right::  
  
::I just didn't know that I might::  
  
::peel away and choose to see::  
  
::with such a different sight::  
  
"My young goddess, you mind is on someone else."  
  
She hung her head. "Not like what you're thinking. I just want to know why he's doing this for us."  
  
"Are you sure it's for us?"  
  
Her head raised again, her eyes lost in his, and his lost in hers. "Just what do you mean?"  
  
"You've heard the legends. He's saved half of the Earth's population. Anyone who is not with Aku is with him. And yet he fights alone."  
  
"He has many friends, none the less. He's never alone."  
  
"And yet he is. It's not we who are up at the meadow, it is him. Yet he still fights. Why is that, you think?"  
  
Nataku averted her gaze back towards the setting sun. Yes, Wufei was right. What was his purpose for fighting at all? Humanity? Honor? Love? Survival?  
  
::Never cared never wanted::  
  
::never sought to see what flaunted::  
  
::so on purpose so in my face::  
  
::couldn't see beyond my own place::  
  
The ground shook and she and Wufei were thrown to the ground, her thoughts interrupted. People close to her began to scream and run towards the east. On the hill, smoke was now billowing not only from the old shells, but from the forest. Alight, trees fell everywhere. All sorts of wildlife began pouring out on all sides. On the side nearest to the couple, a swarm of metal emerged.  
  
Before she understood what was happening, Wufei was half-leading, half- dragging Nataku through the middle of a stampeding crowd. There was chaos behind her, and chaos before her. Everyone was either collecting children from the largest huts or running towards the lake. During the last battle, many had seen the beetles short out as soon as they touched water. Most agreed that if they could swim out to an island in the middle, they would be safe until the battle was over.  
  
Where was the honor in that?  
  
A fire in her eyes, Nataku released herself of her husband's grasp and sprinted into the front of the crowd. Grabbing a nearby twig, she flung it as hard as she could into the water before anyone could wade in. The twig seemed to glow red hot as it touched the lake, and exploded into hundreds of pieces. Horrified, the mob stopped dead in their tracks. The water was still electrical from the robots' shells! What were they to do now?  
  
As families huddled together, Nataku stood off to the side. An entire village, pitifully waiting for their doom. She stared angrily at the approaching storm of black. How could something so evil, something so disgraceful, so cruel, exist in this world? She noticed that many others were looking back the same way as she. That's when she realized what this village needed. A leader.  
  
A battle cry erupting from her throat, she charged at the approaching robots. The beetles slowed to a stop, their core processors unfamiliar with her tactics. What did this young being think she was doing, challenging the followers of the greatest evil? But she was not alone. Nataku did not know how many had followed her lead, but the sound was greater than 5 armies put together. The beetles' blue eyes blinked red. They backed away a few feet for a start, and charged.  
  
Still screaming, tears running down her face, Nataku leaped at the head of the beetle nearest to her. Before she blacked out, she caught site of Wufei, throwing himself into the needle-like arms of the robot next to hers. . . . .. . . . . . . ..  
  
::It was so easy not to behold what I could hold::  
  
::but you taught me I could change::  
  
::whatever came within these shallow days::  
  
She awoke on a grass mat just outside the meadow. Her first thought was on Wufei. Had he survived? She had seen the claws of the beetles rip though wood and steel. Did he. . . . . . .  
  
A sharp pain in her side made her conscious of her own injures. Gingerly, she touched her belly, alarmed by how much pain in brought to her.  
  
Looking left, she saw many people on grass mats just like hers. Some lay still and deathly white, others groaned, tossed and turned, others managed to sit up and call out for help. To her relief, many more were walking around, caring for the injured.  
  
She looked left, but her view was blocked by a white Gi. Who was it? Wufei? No.  
  
Jack.  
  
::As the sun shines through it pushes away::  
  
::and pushes ahead::  
  
::it fills the warmth of blue::  
  
::and leaves a chill instead::  
  
There were rips all over his Gi, and she could see wounds underneath those. But, considering what he had been through, he looked all right. Nataku must have given him a questioning look, he smiled at her.  
  
"There was a controller for all the beetles at the edge of the field. I destroyed that, and they stopped."  
  
Nataku smiled back. Her village was saved. But so many must have been lost. . . . . . . . .  
  
"You were quite a brave leader back there. I doubt so many would have survived if you all had stayed put." The samurai was trying to stay calm, but she could hear his voice quavering and saw tears falling from his eyes. Still smiling, she looked towards west. The sun was gone. A violet cloud was left in its place.  
  
"Nice to be appreciated."  
  
::And I didn't know that I could be::  
  
::so blind to all that is so real::  
  
::but as illusion dies::  
  
::I see there is so much to be revealed::  
  
"Samurai?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Why are you here, in my time?"  
  
"To find a way to my time. My family, my friends, my town was the first to be imprisoned by Aku."  
  
"And you fight for them?"  
  
"For their love, and for their survival."  
  
::And I will never see the sky the same way,::  
  
::and I will never say good-bye to yesterday::  
  
::and I will never cease to fly if held down,::  
  
::and I will always reach too high cause I've seen,::  
  
::cause I've seen, twilight::  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
R&R!!!!!!!! 


End file.
